Stainless Steel Brake line Installation in the Lincoln LS

By LVC Member Quik LS

I installed the StopTech Stainless Steel Brake Lines today.

As you know, I autocross twice a month - my LS is a crowd pleaser.... but could use very little bit of help turning. I have upgraded my brakes with - slotted/drilled rotors, Porterfield Racing Pads, brake ducting from the grill to the rotor guard.... upgrading to these lines were the next logical step.

Here are the step-by-step instructions of what I did.

Please feel free to comment on and improve on these.

When you order the StopTech kit for all four corners you get:
- 85-530-4500 set for the front
- 85-530-5500 set for the rear

Each package contains :
- two lines
- two caliper screws
- four copper crush washers
- two rubber stop plugs

This pic shows a package with one front and one rear line.

• Jack up the car

• Remove the tire

This pic shows the stock setup of the 2001 Lincoln LS

• Remove the abs sensor wiring attached to the brakeline by simply pulling it from the clamps.

• The rears do not have the abs sensor wiring connected like this

Starting on the chassis side, loosen the solid brake line from the braket mounted on the wheel well using a 13mm socket.

• Fluid will leak - so be quick - and place a plastic tube over the end of the solid brake line allowing it to drain into a container;
• Place a rubber stop plug from the kit into the end of the rubber brake line just exposed;

• Remove the bolt holding the rubber brake line to the chassis using a 10mm socket

• Remove the caliper end of the brake line using a 10mm socket
• fluid will drip

YOU MAY NOT HAVE TO DO THIS STEP!

but my front line were mounted backwards in their brackets...... and before you ask - no - you simply can't swap sides.

Here is a pic of the incorrect mounting

I fixed this by sliding off the snap clamp, reversing the brake line, and reinstalling the snap clamp

Assemble the valve screw in the caliper end of the line - placing a copper crush washer on each side

Attach the new brake line to the caliper using a 9/16" socket. Hold the line in place while you tighten so the line does not move out of place while turning the screw.

• Attach the new brake line bracket to the chassis using the original 10mm bolt. Be care to route the new brake line properly and make sure you have not tangled with the abs sensor wiring

• A ttach the solid brake line to the new brake line using a 13mm box wrench on the solid line nut and a 17mm wrench on the new brake line nut. Make sure the new brake line does not spin while tightening the lines together

• Tie wrap the abs sensor cable to the new brake line
• You do not perform this step on the rears

• Now bleed the brake lines. This is the initial bleeding - to simply get the brake fluid running through the new lines and getting all the air introduce into the system out.

• After doing all corners, I then flushed the entire system (pain in the ...) but use DOT4 brake fluid - which has a boiling point of 446degrees - twice that of DOT3
  • To bleed each line as replace the line
  • Open the cap from the master cylinder
  • Remove the rubber cover from the bleeder valve
  • Place a plastic tube over the bleeder valve
  • Using a 11mm box wrench - slightly crack the valve open
  • Have a helper (my son - whose hands are in the pics) slowly but firmly depress the brake peddle
  • Repeat until clear brake fluid run through the plastic tube - making sure to keep the master cylinder topped up.

• Tighten the bleeder valve
• Remove the plastic tube from the bleeder valve
• Replace the rubber cap on the bleeder valve
• Stomp on the brake pedal a couple of times - check for leaks
• Replace the tire
• Drop the car off the jacks......

Ta Da!!!!!

The rears are the same process (except for the abs sensor wiring)

Here is a pic of the rear before (stock)

Here is a pic of the rears after

Here's a pic comparing the stock front line to the new StopTech line